The top quarterbacks usually end their recruiting long before National Signing Day and quickly become lead recruiters for the team they’ve chosen. That’s no different for Sporting News’ top 17 quarterbacks for the 2013 class. They’re all committed—and have been for some time—and all that’s left is signing the dotted line on Feb. 6.

The quarterbacks are listed in order of where they are ranked in the Sporting News list of top 125 recruits.

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2. Max Browne, 6-5/205

SN rank: 1

High school/hometown: Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.)

Committed to: USC

The premier quarterback of the entire 2013 bunch, Browne ripped through the competition this past fall and is already getting ready to compete for the starting job at USC. “At first, my size and ability to make all the throws is a plus—secondly, my fundamentals. I have great coaches and do a good job with my form when moving in the pocket,” he says.

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3. Shane Morris, 6-3/185

SN rank: 29

High school/hometown: De La Salle (Warren, Mich.)

Committed to: Michigan

Morris is a lefthander, and at The Opening—the summer showcase with many of the nation’s top quarterbacks—he looked more like a college quarterback already than any prospect present. He’s a strong-looking kid with a good arm.

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4. J.T. Barrett, 6-1/210

SN rank: 37

High school/hometown: Rider (Wichita Falls, Texas)

Committed to: Ohio State

One would think Barrett would want to stick closer to home with one of the outstanding programs in Texas, but the chance to play in the Big Ten for Urban Meyer was too tough to pass up. “I think college coaches like my pass and run combo I bring with that. I have the ability to extend plays.”

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5. Christian Hackenberg, 6-4/215

SN rank: 40

High school/hometown: Fork Union Military (Fork Union, Va.)

Committed to: Penn State

Hackenberg received a lot of attention for sticking with his commitment to the Nittany Lions, despite all of the negativity surrounding the program. “Coaches like my size, athleticism and arm strength and accuracy. I think that my desire to want to be a student of the game and all of those other things I just listed make me a BCS quarterback.”

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6. Brice Ramsey, 6-3/195

SN rank: 40

High school/hometown: Camden County (Kingsland, Ga.)

Committed to: Georgia

Ramsey has impressed on the all-star circuit and shown the ability to make snap decisions in 7-on-7 situations. Of course, that’s without a 275-pound defensive tackle chasing him. Look for Ramsey to emerge as a solid candidate for the Georgia QB job after Aaron Murray moves on to the NFL.

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7. Tyrone Swoopes, 6-5/230

SN rank: 62

High school/hometown: Whitewright (Texas)

Committed to: Texas

Swoopes is a slick-looking quarterback who can sling it around the field with the best of them, while also torching defenses with his feet. He is clearly one of the Longhorns’ best recruits of this year.

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8. Cody Thomas, 6-5/220

SN rank: 65

High school/hometown: Heritage (Colleyville, Texas)

Committed to: Oklahoma

Thomas wasn’t Oklahoma’s first choice—current USC commitment Max Browne was. But the Sooners got a good one here. “(Coaches) like my toughness, my presence in the pocket and my ability to extend plays,” he says. “I think my playmaking ability, preparation and overall competitiveness sets me apart from others. I strive to be the hardest working quarterback in the nation every day, and anything less is unacceptable.”

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9. Troy Williams, 6-1/175

SN rank: 66

High school/hometown: Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.)

Committed to: Washington

That favorite attribute—the “it” factor—is present with Williams. He just sort of gets it when it comes to playing the signal-caller position. With some work on mechanics, he could be pretty good at UW. “Colleges like that I can make plays with my feet and that I also have a strong arm.”

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10. Malik Zaire, 6-0/195

SN rank: 71

High school/hometown: Archbishop Alter (Kettering, Ohio)

Committed to: Notre Dame

Notre Dame has a special player in Zaire, who picked the Fighting Irish last spring. “What coaches see in my style of play is a dual-threat quarterback with a lot of great footwork in the pocket and a strong accurate arm. I feel like I have earned the scholarship offers I have because I put my whole self into the game and I give it my all every day.”

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11. Matt Alviti, 6-0/180

SN rank: 95

High school/hometown: Maine South (Park Ridge, Ill.)

Committed to: Northwestern

Alviti may be one of the steals of this year’s quarterback class. The Wildcats got him early and have held on through a long recruiting process. “Coaches say they like my ability to make plays, the strength of my arm, my smart decision-making and my leadership,” Alviti tells Sporting News.

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12. Cord Sandberg, 6-3/205

SN rank: 102

High school/hometown: Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.)

Committed to: Mississippi State

How efficient is Sandberg? As a senior he threw 35 touchdowns and only one interception. And even with that kind of touch, Sandberg still rushed for 10 touchdowns and nearly 600 yards. Most experts refer to him as a dual-threat quarterback, which fits MSU coach Dan Mullen’s attack.

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13. Eddie Printz, 6-4/200

SN rank: 117

High school/hometown: Lassiter (Marietta, Ga.)

Committed to: Missouri

Printz was originally committed to UCLA, but things changed with the Bruins and now he’s on board with Mizzou. “The thing that every coach says is I can make every throw accurately while under pressure. They love my film and they say my read progression is spot on when recognizing defensive coverage and pressures,” Printz says. “They also like my mental toughness and that I play with an edge.”

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14. Cooper Bateman, 6-3/190

SN rank: unranked

High school/hometown: Cottonwood (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Committed to: Alabama

The softspoken Bateman fits exactly what Nick Saban and Alabama always seem to look for—a smart quarterback who isn’t concerned with being the focal point of the offense. Bateman is the kind of player who will make the clutch throws and can be relied upon not to make mistakes.

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15. Ryan Buchanan, 6-3/210

SN rank: unranked

High school/hometown: Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.)

Committed to: Ole Miss

Recruiting got off to a slow start for Buchanan, but he’s now an SEC quarterback recruit and part of an impressive class that has been assembled at Ole Miss. Buchanan is Sporting News’ sleeper prospect of this year’s quarterback class.

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16. Ryan Burns, 6-4/220

SN rank: unranked

High school/hometown: Stone Bridge (Ashburn, Va.)

Committed to: Stanford

Burns is tall, well coached and intelligent and should be another great quarterback for the Cardinal. He had several impressive options closer to home—Tennessee, West Virginia, Penn State and several ACC schools—but latched on to Stanford early.

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17. Connor Mitch, 6-3/210

SN rank: unranked

High school/hometown: Wakefield (Raleigh, N.C.)

Committed to: South Carolina

Mitch put up amazing numbers at Wakefield High School, and he just might be the kind of recruit that reminds South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier of his days of coaching Shane Matthews, Danny Wuerffel and Rex Grossman while at Florida. “Most coaches say I have great footwork in the pocket,” Mitch points out.